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Hoda Kotb’s departure from Today will mark the end of an era for the beloved anchor, as she is set to step away from her iconic role in January 2025 after more than 20 years with NBC.
After Kotb, 60, made the announcement in September, many of the TV personality’s co-workers and fans alike became emotional about the change, many wondering who will replace her. On November 14, NBC revealed that Craig Melvin will be taking her place during the first hour of Today.
Melvin, who has been with the show since 2018, will now step into a more prominent role. This move is expected to bring a substantial salary increase as well, with reports from Us Weekly suggesting Melvin will earn between $5 million and $6 million in his new position, up from his current $3 million salary.
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Before joining the iconic morning show, Melvin had a successful career at MSNBC, working as a reporter and later as a news anchor. His move to Today came just five months after joining NBC, when he became a permanent co-host on the third hour of the sow alongside Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Dylan Dreyer. In his new role, Melvin will host the 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. hour of the show, while the fourth hour will temporarily be branded as Jenna & Friends until a new permanent co-host is named to accompany Kotb’s current co-anchor, Jenna Bush Hager.
At home, Melvin is a husband and father. He and his wife, sports reporter Lindsay Czarniak, have been married since 2011 and share two children, son Delano, 10, and daughter Sybil, 8. The couple often shares glimpses of their family life on social media, with Melvin regularly highlighting his children’s interests.
Outside of work and family, Melvin is deeply involved in charitable work, particularly in raising awareness about colorectal cancer. After the death of his older brother, Reverend Lawrence Meadows, from colon cancer in 2020, Melvin and his wife started the Bottoms Up Golf Invitational to raise funds and educate people about the disease. The annual event has become one of the most successful fundraising efforts for colorectal cancer in the country, with Melvin saying to E! News, “It’s the second largest one-day total for colorectal cancer fundraising in the country every year.”
Melvin’s first episode replacing Kotb on Today will be January 13, 2025.
